As peonies are very long lasting plants which will bloom for decades if not longer, the soil is dug up to a depth to 18″ if possible. Compost and peatmoss is added and mixed in well to the native soil.

The pink buds which should show on the peony when in dormancy, should be positioned UP even if this means laying the large roots slightly at an angle to the surface. These buds are then covered with only one half inch of soil so as to allow the buds to get as much cold as possible during our mild winters.

Some people have put ice cubes or bags of ice on their plants a couple of times during the winter. I have never done that but this year, I think I will put the ice on one half of a new planting to see if this will make more of the plants bloom the first year as only two thirds of them have bloomed the first year, from my experience.

The photo at the top of this article shows a double pink named Princess Margaret and a single named Doreen.